Equality screening outcome report: Draft Commercial Plan

Published in July 2022

Contents

Overview of screening template

The council has a statutory duty to screen. This includes our strategies, plans, policies, legislative developments and new ways of working such as the introduction, change or end of an existing service, grant funding arrangement or facility. Detailed information about the Section 75 equality duties and what they mean in practice is available on the Equality Commission’s website [Footnote 1].

The screening template has four sections to complete. These are:

• Section A provides details about the policy or decision that is being screened
• Section B gives information on the consultation process, supporting evidence gathered and has four key questions outlining the likely impacts on all equality groups
• Section C has four key questions in relation to obligations under the Disability Discrimination Order
• Section D is the formal record of the screening decision

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Section A

Details about the policy or decision to be screened.

1. Title of policy or decision to be screened

Draft Commercial Plan

2. Brief description of policy or decision to be screened

(Explain is this a new, revised or existing policy? Are there financial, legislative or procurement implications?)

The Commercial Plan represents a new plan for Belfast City Council. 

A lot of the services we provide as a council are required by law. However, there are many that are not, such as our ongoing investment in both local community and city landmark projects, our commitment to supporting our older, younger and vulnerable citizens and promoting our city to visitors through city events. We want to continue to deliver these services and more. As an organisation, we also try our best to minimise the impact of any district rate increase on residents and businesses. 

However, this is becoming more difficult because we are reliant on income from the district rate to fund our plans and priorities. To continue providing these services and fund our key priorities (for example climate change, waste, leisure transformation and our extensive capital programme), either directly or in partnership with others, we require substantial financial resources. 

We already work in a ‘commercial’ environment and some of the activities we undertake are ‘commercial’ – these exist across a number of departments and services. 

Whilst commercial activity is not new to our organisation, the world we live in continues to change and so too does the environment we operate in. According to the Local Government Association (LGA), interest in commercial activity continues to grow as councils respond to these challenges.

We, too, need to adjust and adopt a broader, more ‘commercially focused approach’ if we are to achieve our aspirations for Belfast and our local communities and continue to deliver our services. For us, being more commercial means ‘striking a good deal’ for rate payers and service users, including those that are most vulnerable. 

We are already seeing changes to our ways of working. Aspects of these changes involve us being more commercial.

We are also seeing that many other councils have a transparent and consistent policy-led approach to commercial activity and in doing so, they have developed corporate-wide commercial plans and policies.

3. Aims and objectives of the policy or decision to be screened

The Commercial Plan is about: 

• Ensuring our resources (money, people and time) are used sustainably to deliver positive social, economic and environmental outcomes to our local communities.
• Increasing transparency and accountability for how we use these resources.
• Building our capacity and capability by investing in the skills and resilience of our officers and supporting skills and knowledge transfer.
• Providing a consistent and structured approach for our existing, and all future, commercial activity.

This is not simply just about delivering financial benefits. For us, it is about “putting all our communities and citizens, including those in greatest need, at the heart of everything we do” to ensure we deliver high quality services as efficiently and effectively as possible.

To define our commercial approach, we have adopted this vision:

We will take an innovative and business-like approach to commercial activity to secure the delivery of high quality, sustainable and Value for Money services for our local communities. Through this, we will support the achievement of those ambitions set out in the Belfast Agenda.

The overarching aim of our Commercial Plan is to contribute to the council’s investment plans, its efficiency programme and to ‘recovering’ and ‘rebuilding’ from the COVID-19 pandemic. This will assist to safeguard services that are delivered in our local communities, including those that are most vulnerable.

To support this, we have identified six strategic aims:

1. Maximise opportunities to deliver more for our citizens, including those that are most vulnerable.
2. Make better use of our assets for our citizens by achieving positive outcomes and superior value.
3. Ensure delivery of our services in the most cost-effective way.
4. Contribute towards meeting the significant financial challenges faced by the council by ensuring we achieve value for money.
5. Adopt a commercial culture whilst retaining strong public, community and social values.
6. Work with partners who share our vision and ambitions and continue to put the best interests of Belfast’s residents at the heart of everything we do.

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4. Who will the policy or decision impact?

A commercialisation communications and engagement plan will be developed and initiated in order to raise awareness amongst all stakeholders (including staff and elected members) of our commercial approach. Similarly, a rolling competency training programme will be developed and initiated to ensure that our staff are provided (where necessary) with the requisite skills and expertise required to achieve our commercial aspirations.

5. Are there linkages to other agencies or departments?

This plan has clear links to the long-term vision for Belfast up to 2035, as set out in the Belfast Agenda, Belfast’s first Community Plan. It will assist to safeguard services that are delivered in our local communities and support us to fund our key priorities (for example climate change, waste, leisure transformation and our extensive capital programme).

It also aligns to the ambitions and commitments set out in our corporate plan, key strategies such as those relating to inclusive growth and resilience, and our medium term financial (MTF) plans.

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Section B

Information on the consultation process, supporting evidence gathered and four key questions outlining the likely impacts for equality and good relations.

6. Outline consultation process planned or achieved

As this is a draft plan reflecting the aspirations of elected members, consultation up until early 2021 has involved discussions with elected members (at full council, the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee and at meetings with each party), members of the Commercial Panel, the Commercial Panel Working Group and relevant senior officers across the council.

As the plan is considered at each stage of the decision-making process within the council, we will seek advice and guidance on what additional consultation that should be undertaken for example engagement with community and Section 75 groups and the equality consultative forum. At each stage, we will be mindful of and take into account, our equality duties and responsibilities.

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7. Available evidence

What evidence or information (both qualitative and quantitative) have you gathered to inform this policy?

8. What is the likely impact (indicate if the policy impact is positive or negative) on equality of opportunity for those affected by this policy, for each of the Section 75 equality categories? What is the level of impact?

9. Are there opportunities to better promote equality of opportunity for people within the Section 75 equalities categories?

10. To what extent is the policy likely to impact (positive or negatively) on good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group? What is the level of impact? 

11. Are there opportunities to better promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group?

Section C

Belfast City Council also has legislative obligations to meet under the Disability Discrimination Order. 

12. Does this proposed policy or decision provide an opportunity for the council to better promote positive attitudes towards disabled people?

Depending on the nature and type of commercial activity under consideration, there could be opportunities to better promote positive attitudes towards disabled people.

13. Does this proposed policy or decision provide an opportunity to actively increase the participation by disabled people in public life?

Depending on the nature and type of commercial activity under consideration, there could be opportunities to actively increase the participation by disabled people in public life.

14. Multiple identities

Provide details of data on the impact of the policy with multiple identities.

This plan should be beneficial to those affected by inequalities across multiple identities. Whilst no specific data has been produced, it can be gathered from future engagement activity. Furthermore, should data become available at any point, action will be taken to address any potential differential impact.

15. Monitoring arrangements

Section 75 places a requirement the council to have equality monitoring arrangements in place:

• to assess the impact of policies and services
• to help identify barriers to fair participation
• to better promote equality of opportunity

Outline what data you will collect in the future to monitor the impact of this policy or decision on equality, good relations and disability duties.

For each of these, the council will proof all stages and phases of the plan and develop monitoring and evaluation tools.

Section D

Formal record of screening decision

Title of proposed policy or decision being screened

Draft Commercial Plan

I can confirm that the proposed policy or decision has been screened for:

• equality of opportunity and good relations
• disability duties

Screened out
Mitigating actions (minor impacts)

• Provide a brief note to explain how this decision was reached
• Explain what mitigating actions or policy changes will now be introduced.

As this is a draft plan reflecting the aspirations of elected members, consultation up until early 2021 has involved discussions with elected members (at full council, the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee and at meetings with each party), members of the Commercial Panel, the Commercial Panel Working Group and relevant senior officers across the council.

As the plan is considered at each stage of the decision-making process within the council, we will seek advice and guidance on what mitigating actions or policy changes should be introduced for example engagement with community and Section 75 groups and the equality consultative forum.

At each stage, we will be mindful of, and take into account, our equality duties and responsibilities.

Screening assessment completed by

Name: Michael Denny
Date: to be confirmed
Department: Commercial and Procurement Services, Finance and Resources

Screening decision approved by

Name: Noleen Bohill
Date: to be confirmed
Department: Commercial and Procurement Services, Finance and Resources

Save the Word final version of the completed screening form and email to the Equality and Diversity Officer: equality@belfastcity.gov.uk. A link to this screening form will be provided to the council's Section 75 consultee.

For more information about equality screening, contact:

Lorraine Dennis or Lisa McKee
Equality and Diversity Unit
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Hall
Belfast
BT1 5GS
Telephone: 028 9027 0511
Email: equality@belfastcity.gov.uk

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Footnotes

[Footnote 1] Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (link opens in new window)

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